The Adventures of Daniel and Vala
by MKRG
Summary: Follow along as Daniel and Vala traipse around the galaxy to save someone who has gone missing. Barfights, seductive schemes, gun battles... it's all part of the adventure in the wild, wild...er... Milky Way. DV but fun for anyone!
1. Loyalty

The Adventures of Daniel and Vala

LOYALTY

The heat of the sun burned his back. Dust and sand blew around him in light swirls. The humid air was thick and difficult to breathe. Sweat escaped from his every pore. And Daniel Jackson loved every minute of it.

_Clank._ He used the small tool to beat away relentless rock, set low at the base of a crumbling wall. Tall columns of tan stone, half broken and worn, rose all around him. The writings on the wall had led him here, alone, in the middle of a dilapidated Alteran ruin. There was no promise of an energy source or advanced technology here. Nothing in the ancient text told of treasure or riches. But knowledge – knowledge could be found here. It was all he really needed or ever cared for.

As he toiled methodically over the stone, he savored the quiet and the peace. It had been far too long since he'd been on a proper dig, with the proper equipment and the proper time. He knew his former teammates teased him, spending his vacation time on a dusty old planet far away. He didn't mind. After countless years, he felt more at home just digging than anything else he'd done.

He needn't worry about the SGC recalling him. It had been over a year since the downfall of the final System Lord. Threats to Earth had all but ceased. No remaining Goa'uld felt it was worth the trouble, given the poor track record of their predecessors. Peace was finally upon the Tau'ri. It was General Landry's last act before retirement to grant Dr. Jackson indefinite leave. He could choose any location he pleased and get a small stipend for supplies.

Daniel wiped his brow with the back of his hand. He peered through dark sunglasses up at the sun. Its position was at its highest point – lunch time. His stomach growled in confirmation. Daniel groaned a little as he stood up and rubbed his aching back. He leaned backwards, attempting to stretch his sore muscles and alleviate some pain.

A slight shadow fell over him. He looked up, expecting to see his assistant with his lunch. But it wasn't the curious young boy from the village he had befriended. "Hey," he said with some surprise.

Her hair was tied back in a slick ponytail. Tan leather crunched as she stepped down from the top of broken stairs. Neither said a word as she approached, and Daniel wondered if she'd come simply to bother him like she used to. The glare of the sun prevented him from seeing her face until she was close.

It held a mix of nervousness and disappointment, and perhaps even a touch of fear. "Daniel," she greeted quietly and without fanfare.

After thinking about it, he really wasn't surprised to see her. Mitchell made regular visits to check on him. Teal'c stopped by a few times, and even Jack had shown up at one point. It was only a matter of time before Sam or Vala would make their rounds. What did surprise him, however, was the lack of energy in Vala's demeanor. She simply looked defeated.

"Welcome to Taldia, or more specifically some Ancient ruins on Taldia," he said simply.

She took a breath. "You must be right at home."

"Yeah, well," he said, shrugging. "How's it going?" Vala winced and remained silent. After a pause, "You didn't come here to say hi, did you?" She nodded negatively. "Is something wrong at the SGC?" The possibilities filled his mind. Was he mistaken in thinking he wouldn't be recalled so soon?

"No, Earth is fine. In fact, I just came from there."

"And?"

She hesitated, as if unsure. This was very unlike her. "And, Mitchell sends his regards."

"Okaaay. Is that all?"

Before Vala could respond, a small figure appeared at the top of the steps. "Daniel! It's time to eat!" He hopped down hurriedly, two at a time. The excitable child was a stark contrast to the woman before him. Vala looked down at him and suddenly felt guilty for disturbing Daniel. He had his own things to do and worry about. There was no need to drag him into her problems. The child eyed her curiously, but focused on the task of unpacking Daniel's midday meal. He was practically begging for approval.

Daniel knelt down to still the child's hands. "Zoren, you don't need to do all that. Remember?" He gave the child a kind smile.

"But I want to! My mother made juben-root bread. I think you'll like it."

Slightly exasperated, Daniel accepted the boy's food. "Thank you, Zoren. And tell your mother thank you, too." He stole a look at Vala, who remained quiet. "Why don't you get back to the village? I'm sure your friends are looking for you."

The boy glanced at Vala and nodded reluctantly. He had a feeling that Daniel's latest visitor was a bit more serious than the last one. He reached into his pocket and felt the yo-yo that Daniel's other friend had given him. Well, at least he had a new toy. He ran off in the direction of home with a shouted goodbye. Daniel smiled fondly after him.

"You didn't have to send him away. I can just go," Vala finally said. She made a move to leave.

"Now hold on." He grabbed her arm gently and turned her back to face him. "At least tell me why you're here."

He could tell by the look in her eyes that she was waging an inner battle with herself. Moisture collected in her eyes. "My…"

He grabbed both of her shoulders in concern. "Your?"

"It's Jacek," she managed to whisper in her fight for control.

And then it hit him. Mitchell mentioned this last month. Vala had received word that her father was in some kind of trouble. She was given leave to go find him. Daniel led her to the steps and prompted her to sit down. He sat close, keeping a hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

"He's… he's…" she tried to say between haggard breaths. Daniel had never seen her this upset. She usually kept her emotions in check around others, which he'd always thought a bit unhealthy. She continued to breathe erratically as she struggled not to let the tears fall. All Daniel could do was rub her back soothingly.

"Vala?" he ventured softly.

"He's been sold." A tear escaped and ran down her cheek quietly.

"What? Sold?" he responded, not comprehending.

"Into slavery!"

Daniel cursed. The Ori and the Goa'uld may be out of the picture, but that still left all the other individuals in the galaxy after power and profit. "You said you just came from the SGC. What did they say? Are we going to go get him?"

Vala looked up at him, surprised that he _expected_ to be part of the rescue mission. "I asked them for help, but…" She looked down, ashamed. "General Gordon said they couldn't spare the resources for… for…" She needn't finish. Daniel already knew. In the eyes of the SGC, Jacek was too much of a nuisance to be worth the trouble. The new guy in charge had only heard of Vala's father in passing, and what he'd heard was not enough to earn his sympathy. General Landry would have decided different, he was sure.

"What did Mitchell say?"

"That he couldn't help, either. The General watches his every move. He wants to help, I think, but he simply isn't allowed to."

"He couldn't come up with some creative mission objective that would get him offworld for a couple days with a team?"

"He tried and it didn't work."

"Have you tried contacting Sam?" These days she was commanding the _General Hammond_, the latest in Earth's space fleet. "Maybe she can divert some resources to a worthy cause," he said conspiratorially.

"I didn't think it would be a good idea to ask for an uplink after the General just shot down my request."

"Hmm." Vala leaned her head on her knees dejectedly. Daniel laid another hand on her shoulder. "What can we do?"

"I don't know. All I have is an address," she mumbled through her knees. She breathed deeply, attempting to compose herself.

"And you just can't waltz over there without risking your own safety," he acknowledged. She nodded. Daniel thought for a moment. "Then we need a ship," he said determinately.

Vala raised her head. "Huh?" Daniel gestured as if she should have thought of this already. "Daniel, I _tried_ to get a ship. The SGC…"

"Since when does Vala Mal Doran _ask_ for a ship?" She blinked. "Don't tell me you're losing your touch," Daniel challenged.

A look of indignation crossed her face. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. If the situation wasn't so dire, Daniel would have smirked at this small triumph. "You are the last person in the galaxy that I would expect to tell me to steal a ship," she said.

This time Daniel did smile. "Well, you know me, I'm so full of surprises."

"Hmpf. Well, since I have _your_ approval…" She got up.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"To prove to you that I've still got it!"

Daniel looked back at the stone wall he spent the entire morning chipping away. It suddenly didn't seem so important. He then saw Vala's hastily retreating backside and ran after her. "Vala, wait! I was kidding about the _stealing_ part! Vala!"

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please feel free to review.


	2. Break Your Back

BREAK YOUR BACK

The two of them sat quietly at a large table in the underground base. Light from an unseen source reflected off the crystalline walls. Vala wore her tan leather, and Daniel had changed into something to match. She absently drummed her fingers on the table. The noise was constant and, in Daniel's case, extremely annoying. He sighed in frustration but didn't bother to make her stop. He preferred this over her incessant yammering, as he called it. Before he knew it, though, she started to speak.

"You know, if we had done things my way, we'd already have a ship," she said petulantly.

"Quit complaining and be patient. You asked for my help, so we're doing this _my_ way."

"But this is about _my_ father!"

"Shhh, don't be so loud."

"Oh who's going to hear us? Do you see anyone? I don't!"

Their bickering continued for a few minutes until a woman stepped into the room. Both stood to face her. "I have explained your case to the council," she began in the tell-tale tone of a Tok'ra, "and unfortunately, we have no ships available to lend you."

"Of course you don't," Vala muttered under her breath. Daniel elbowed her. She glared in return.

"Is there nothing available? Nothing at all?" Daniel implored.

She nodded her head. "I am sorry, Dr. Jackson. The council wishes you luck on your mission." Daniel let out a breath and a small, disappointed thanks. "If there is nothing further, I will escort you back to the surface."

Moments later, the pair ringed out of the Tok'ra base. They trudged through the desert sand toward the Stargate. "_We have no ships available_," Vala mocked the Tok'ra. "Of course not! They live underground like worms. Who knows where they'd keep a bloody ship."

"Calm down. It's not like they're the only ones we can ask for help."

"If you recall, I already asked Earth for a ship."

"Then let me try requesting one. They've got to have an extra cargo ship somewhere."

"They don't. I already checked."

"What do you mean you already checked?" Daniel asked as he eyed her curiously.

Vala reached the DHD first. "As soon as Mitchell told me that he couldn't help, I hacked into the mainframe to find out where your government keeps its confiscated goods. Now while I learned some very interesting things, I was also annoyed to discover just how curious your little scientists are. They are taking apart the only cargo ship in Earth's possession as we speak." She began to dial.

Daniel shoved his hands into his pockets and dropped his head. When he looked back up, the event horizon kawooshed forward. "And just where are we off to now?" he said, unsurprised.

"To a quaint little place I know."

"Are we going to need weapons in this 'quaint little place'?"

Vala pulled a zat from beneath her jacket. She handed it to Daniel. He sighed again as he pocketed the device. "What about you?" She pulled the back of her jacket up to reveal another zat peeking out of her pants. "Oh, is that all?" he said sarcastically. She raised an eyebrow at him. He knew full well she had knives and lockpicks and other such tools hidden on her person.

She led him through the gate and onto a gloomy looking planet. Foliage and trees surrounded them now, but lacked the thriving glow of other forests they'd seen. A few grumpy individuals milled about, ignoring their sudden presence. Dirt smeared their tattered clothes as well as their faces and hands. None of them seemed very threatening. Daniel peered around suspiciously just the same. "Vala, where are we?"

"Shhhh. Here, my name is Grelan and you are Yar'fus."

"What?" he whispered incredulously. She led him purposefully through the musty forest. A haze reduced their ability to see far ahead. Daniel couldn't help but notice that she knew exactly where she was going.

"We have to maintain a low profile, Darling. There's still bounties on our heads – those just don't go away. This place is crawling with bounty hunters."

He grabbed her arm to stop her. "You didn't think it would be prudent to tell me that _before_ we got here?" Frustration bled color into his face.

Amused by his reaction, Vala patted his face gently. "If I had done that, you wouldn't have followed me through the gate, would you?" Without waiting for a reply, she continued on her trail.

He hurried after her. "Vala," he paused as she glared in warning, "I mean, _Grelan_, I think we need to have a plan before we get ahead of ourselves."

"We don't need one."

Daniel groaned. "I don't even know what's going on!"

She sighed. "We're going to a local tavern. It's overflowing with individuals who possess 'disposable goods.' I'll go in and do my thing, and you…" She thought for a moment. "Well, you can watch and enjoy some locally-brewed specialty. Although I warn you to never accept Hatux from a stranger. It'll knock you out faster than…"

"Alright, alright. Just, be quick about it okay?" Daniel wondered how he had gotten here. Just one day ago, he was happily digging away on a peaceful planet. Now he was being dragged around by a space pirate with naughty plans. Come to think of it, that was probably the reason he came – to make sure she didn't fall into worse trouble while searching for her father. Before the Stargate program, he never would have dreamed of a life like this.

Upon arrival to the tavern, Daniel noted the makeshift village formed around it. A nearby building that resembled an inn stood crookedly. Next to that, a circle of stones formed around what had to be a water well. Some shanty structures were spread about, full of curious wares from seedy-looking merchants. He let Vala enter the tavern first, smart enough to allow some time between their arrivals to allay suspicion.

Hoots and whistles sounded as soon as she was inside, no doubt directed at her. Daniel shook his head. She was probably smiling brightly at all the attention. He waited a few more moments before stepping in himself. The reception he received was less than welcoming. Of those who paid him any attention, he got menacing stares and grunts. He ignored this and went straight to the bar, locating Vala out of the corner of his eye.

She was already hard at work wooing some stranger at the corner table. The fellow grinned at her, oblivious to the hand that crept into his jacket and pulled out some sort of leather wallet. Daniel shook his head imperceptibly. Some habits just died too hard. An earthen cup of amber liquid was slammed down in front of him, no doubt the local specialty. He nodded casually to the bartender and threw a few pieces of currency onto the bar.

Daniel pretended to sip at his drink as he surveyed the scene before him. The tavern was inhabited by a surly bunch, mostly men. The few women present wore leather and displayed their weapons plainly to ensure no one got the wrong idea. Vala had once told him that only the prostitutes hid their knives in the bars. The lack of obvious protection was more of an advertisement of their "services."

He noted the back door situated behind the far-side of the bar. Along the far wall, the windows were just the right size to squeeze through in an emergency. He calculated the best exit strategy should the need arise. Jack would have been proud. He heard an indignant cry from Vala's corner. When he looked, she slapped her new friend and stood up. A few patrons chuckled as she abandoned the fellow. He merely grumbled and nursed his drink, not daring to challenge the zat he spied as she turned her back on him.

She made her way to the bar, a few seats down from Daniel. Vala ignored him, careful not to even look in his direction. He got the message. She still had everything under control. The barman, a large gentleman with a scraggly beard, leaned on the bar to address her. "What'll ya have, missy?"

"Your finest ale," she said plainly. The bartender obliged her and moved off to serve someone else. Soon another patron had slunk up next to her, partially blocking Daniel's view. He could smell him from a few seats down. The man reeked of blood and urine and other undesirable scents. The perfect sort of character for Vala to swindle. Now eager to breathe through his mouth, Daniel silently observed the exchange.

"You look like a female who can hold her liquor," he drawled out with a scratchy voice.

_Oh boy._

"So what if I am?" she responded casually. She took a sip from her mug.

"I'll bet you can drink some of these unfortunate fellows here under the table," he challenged. The man stroked his rough beard.

"Betting should only be done by professionals."

"You, m'love, look like a professional to me." Vala finally turned to face him. Her eyes twinkled with the prospect of a challenge. "Come join us. We're about to start a game. O'course it requires a small fee to participate."

She pulled out her newly acquired wallet and showed some currency. "Will this suffice?"

The man grabbed it out of her hands and stood abruptly. "It'll do." He smiled, baring yellow teeth among cavernous gaps. They walked further back into the bar. He forcibly removed someone from their seat and allowed Vala to sit down. Soon others gathered at the large table. Another woman, but this one in black leather, and three men of various sizes joined her.

The smelly man called over a bottle of hard liquor and shot glasses, or what could be deemed their equivalents here. He poured dark amber liquid into the glasses, and announced, "Gents… and ladies… the game is Break Your Back." This got some of the other patrons' attention. "Everyone starts with one drink to begin the game."

_What – no rules?_ Daniel wondered silently. A few patrons began to hover behind the players. Vala and her competitors took shots of the unknown liquid. She showed no signs of disgust, though others around her did. They each slammed their glasses down in turn, signaling their readiness to continue.

"Players, state your assets."

The woman in black dug into her pocket and fished out a bag of currency. She placed it in the center. The man to her left did the same. The second man offered a strange looking weapon, which he happily demonstrated on an unsuspecting observer. It stunned him instantly. The third man placed a small device on the table. "The key to my cargo ship," he explained confidently. Daniel's ears perked up. Vala didn't miss a beat. She placed the currency she had left on the table, comparable in value to the others.

The smelly man addressed the crowd that had formed. Daniel casually made his way closer and leaned back on the bar. "You all place your bets on our competitors as you please. Just know that inability to pay will result in consequences." Money exchanged hands as the patrons began to murmur. He sneered at the players. "Ladies first," he said with as little courtesy as he could muster.

Vala didn't hesitate to take the first swig. She dropped her head back and swallowed the shot whole. The others followed in order, without hesitation. This continued on with little fanfare a few more rounds when Daniel began to notice someone moving among the patrons. A smaller figure, perhaps a young boy, was busy at work. He must have snuck in from the back. Daniel reached into his pocket to check that his currency was still there. He watched as the boy moved around, ignored by patrons, and subsequently picked all of their pockets.

After the tenth round of shots, the smelly gamemaster announced that it was time for the first test. He called on all the players to stand. Each was handed a loaded gun to shoot at a moving target on the back wall. The crowd cleared the way, revealing a gray circle of metal moving horizontally across a mechanical slider. The young pickpocket disappeared, likely to avoid anyone who discovered their misfortune too soon. The confident man who owned the cargo ship volunteered to go first. He aimed for the mark and shot it perfectly. The three other people followed with varying degrees of success. Vala, however, nearly missed. The crowd grumbled and more money exchanged hands. A few patrons began to realize their currency was missing. Daniel tensed as he watched Vala stumble her way back to her seat.

The players continued on with their drinks as the crowd observed, clearly enamored with the whole thing. By the fifteenth round, Daniel began to worry. It was clear that the alcohol was beginning to take effect, on Vala especially. She teetered and tottered on her chair unsteadily. As the next turn came to her, her hand shook as she brought the burning liquid to her throat. She hesitated, but the crowd egged her on. In one fell swoop, she downed the amber concoction and slammed the glass back down unsteadily.

Others at her table smirked. When the other woman got her chance, she took the shot with overconfident pleasure. The men did the same. Daniel began to finger the zat hidden within his jacket. After the twentieth round, it was time for another test. Again, the players were handed guns and told to shoot at the target. The owner of the cargo ship, the possessor of the strange stun gun, and the other woman made their marks. Vala just barely grazed the target with her shot. One of the men missed and he was quickly booted out of the game.

Ten more rounds ensued. The gamemaster declared this to be a close match, but only one could win. He announced this as the last test. Whoever could make an accurate shot this time would be triumphant. Apparently, the first two tests were practice. Daniel surmised that the chances of hitting a moving target after 30 rounds of hard liquor was miniscule. The woman and one other man both missed, causing the crowd to grumble in irritation. The owner of the cargo ship swayed slightly. Once he steadied himself, he made the shot and managed to hit the target on the side. Then, it was Vala's turn.

Daniel gritted his teeth while the crowd booed her. She was instantly irritated and swung her gun at the crowd. "Shut up!" she slurred as they ducked to avoid her aim. Daniel winced. She turned back to face the target and studied it as carefully as she could in her drunken state. It moved left and right at a constant rate. Her once shaky arm suddenly went still and her finger pulled the trigger. The shot exploded, hitting the target dead on. Silence befell the tavern.

The gamemaster approached the ruined target and scratched his beard. Suddenly, he turned. "We have a winner!" The crowd roared back to life, booing and cheering as before. Patrons turned to each other to collect their winnings, only to find that those winnings were gone. Several men realized they had been pickpocketed and looked around suspiciously. Punches began to fly. The gamemaster laughed and held his belly as he rumbled.

Vala stepped over to the table to collect her winnings. She gathered everything up with ease, displaying no signs of intoxication. With her competitors too groggy to stop her and the patrons too engrossed in the escalating bar fight, Vala made her move toward the back exit. She ducked and twisted and then she was gone.

Daniel stepped to the side to avoid a fist fight and took the chaos as his cue to leave. He didn't bother to leave a few more coins as the bartender had joined in on the fight, too. Finally outside, the haze had made way for a fog that obscured most of the nighttime stars. He really had no idea what time it was here, but he guessed he'd have a few more hours of dark cover to find Vala.

It didn't take long as he roamed the village, keeping his guard up and his body close to buildings. "Psst. Yar'fus." He turned in the direction of the sound. Entering the cramped alley, he could see Vala's shining grin. "Were you followed?" she whispered.

"I don't think so."

"Good. I think I found the cargo ship. Come on, let's go." They trekked back into the forest until they came upon an unusual clearing. Foliage had been squashed flat here. She held up the small remote and pressed the button. The cargo ship materialized before them.

Vala smiled at Daniel. They checked the perimeter to ensure there were no external surprises first. She pressed another button and a hatch slid open, allowing them access to the inside. As the door closed, Daniel pulled his zat and began to sweep the small confines of the ship. "Clear."

Vala was practically bouncing to the pilot's chair. She had already dumped her winnings in the cargo hold. As she began the pre-flight procedures, Daniel took the seat next to her. "How did you survive 30 rounds and hit that target so well?" It was an obvious question that he needed answered.

She grinned and chuckled, but didn't answer. Instead she concentrated on the panel before her. The ship's engines began humming to life.

"Vala, if we're going to be partners you need to share some of your secrets with me."

She paused and turned. "Partners?"

Daniel quickly regretted his words. "Uhh, or teammates. You know, we're working together to find your father?"

A faint smile graced her lips. "Partner sounds nice." She tapped more buttons on the instrument panel. The ship began to lift off the ground. "To answer your question, I was once a host."

"And that explains everything because…" he prompted.

"When one has been a host as long as I have, alcohol begins to lose its magical effects."

"You were never drunk?"

"Nope."

"Interesting." He scratched the stubble on his chin. He was due for a shave. "So you faked it." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Mmm hmm," she replied, nodding affirmatively. By now their ship was clearing the planet's atmosphere. "Initiating cloak." The display indicated that the ship had done as it was told.

"Why was it called 'Break your Back'?"

"Because the losers usually have to break their backs in the naquedah mines to earn their losses back. That and the bar fight that always occurs afterward," she explained nonchalantly.

"I hope this ship is worth all that."

"Well, from what I can tell, it's pretty good, actually." She entered the gate address into the ship's navigation system and it spit back a set of spatial coordinates. The star chart indicated that the location was a moon two days away. Vala frowned.

"What?"

"I don't recognize this place."

"If it's two days away and we don't know what to expect, we're going to need supplies."

Vala nodded. She pulled up a different star chart and gestured to a planet. "My dear friend Caius has been hanging around this little planet lately. It's not too far off course."

"Caius. The smuggler with the customized Tel'tak?"

"One and the same."

Daniel thought back to that eventful mission when he, Vala, and Mitchell were sent on a wild goose chase - all in the name of getting unstuck from her. And here he was, willingly in her presence as they traipsed around the galaxy. "Ooh yay, old friends," he muttered sarcastically.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please feel free to review.


	3. Old Friends

OLD FRIENDS

"Well, well, if it isn't Vala Mal Doran herself," a round-faced character greeted on the vidscreen.

"Caius," she acknowledged. The cargo ship was in orbit around a commerce planet. Traffic was busy. Ships of varying shapes and sizes littered orbit, many awaiting a clear path down to the surface. Vala leaned forward. "Have you lost weight?"

He chuckled lightly, and suspiciously, in Daniel's opinion. "Oh you flatter me." He, too, leaned forward. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, for one, you can tell me where to land."

Caius raised an eyebrow and looked somewhere offscreen. "I'll meet you at these coordinates." A data packet was received and the cargo ship automatically opened it. Vala instructed the navigation system to bring them down.

They found themselves in a shipyard of sorts. Mechanics and captains walked among the other vessels parked nearby. The cargo ship opened with a hiss. Caius approached it cautiously, several weapons on his person. Vala soon filled the doorway and grinned. As Daniel appeared behind her, she launched herself at Caius. The thicker man caught her with some strain and immediately put her down.

Recognizing Daniel, he said, "Don't tell you you're still stuck to _him_."

Hands around Caius's neck, she turned to look at the man in question. "More like he's still stuck to me." Daniel rolled his eyes. Looking at her friend again, "Is there somewhere we can have a little chat?"

"Of course. Right this way." He led her off.

Daniel sighed. He aimed the remote behind him as he followed and the door hissed closed.

Now seated at a table in a small, windowless room, Vala got down to business. "I'm looking for someone who may have been traded off for slavery."

Caius raised his eyebrows. "Oh, and who might that be?"

"A former associate of mine who owes me a substantial amount," she replied easily. It wasn't too far off from the truth.

"It wouldn't be that other fellow you were with the last time I saw you? The one that looks like him?" He pointed to Daniel. The archaeologist furrowed his brow.

She smiled, comparing Daniel and Mitchell in her mind. "Hmm, no. Oooh but that would be fun if Cam were here, wouldn't it, Darling? We could distract people into thinking you're in two places at once."

"We _do not_ look alike."

She patted his cheek, which had more stubble. "Whatever you say, my darling." He rolled his eyes once more. Caius looked on in amusement. "Caius, I'm in need of information." She slapped down a piece of paper with a gate address and spatial coordinates. He took it. "I'd like to know more about this place."

The man tapped his chin in thought. "Hmm, I may or may not have something for you." A bag of currency plopped down on the table. "Ahh, I just remembered. I know someone who might be able to help us." He rose and exited the room, promising to return soon. Daniel noted that the bag of money had mysteriously disappeared. They sat in companionable silence until Caius returned.

"Oh ho, your associate has really gotten himself into a bind if he's been here." He slipped the paper back to her. "It's a Gelvian auction center."

Vala winced. Daniel questioned, "Gelvian?"

"They're slave traders. Notorious ones," Vala supplied. "They don't treat their merchandise kindly, nor acquire them by gentle means." Daniel was sorry he asked. "I was hoping it wouldn't be them," she muttered.

"Who else would it be?" Caius said. "Their business has been growing quite well this past year. Word is that the System Lord Ba'al has disappeared for good. How's that for fortune, eh?"

Vala and Daniel shared a look. How Ba'al's defeat resulted in Jacek's misfortune was anyone's guess. Vala muttered, "If this place is anything like I've heard, it won't be easy getting in."

"I can get you in," their round friend said simply.

"What'll it cost me?"

"Nothing much for now. I'm sure you have sufficient funds for a new wardrobe and a few choice weapons for this occasion. I'll be doing you a favor."

She smiled sweetly. "And I take it, favors are meant to be returned?"

"Someday," he said, smiling just as sweetly back.

"Someday." She sighed. "Alright, show me what we need."

They made their way to a locker room of sorts, where compartments were filled with various fashions from the commerce planets of the galaxy. Daniel fingered a few of the garments. _Itchy_, he thought unhappily.

"The only way to get in and out without being overtly suspicious is to pose as a slave owner."

"Slave owners need slaves," Vala said, looking pointedly at Daniel.

"Excuse me?" he said icily.

Vala flipped her hair. "Well, it makes sense that I should be the owner. I'm the one who has a clue about how to deal with these people. I understand the system better than you."

"No," Daniel said.

"No what?" She squinted at him.

"I will not be your slave. Not now, not ever. Never. No way in hell."

"You can't pose as an owner! You'll be killed the minute we walk in, and I'll suddenly become unclaimed property."

"I am not that naïve, Vala. Give me the right intel, and I'll get us through it just as well."

She got in his face. "This is _my_ mission, Daniel. _My_ rules!"

"Oh we talked about this. If I help you, we do things my way!" He began turning red with fury.

"And what has 'your way' gotten us? Hmm? Nothing! If it weren't for your silly little games with the Tok'ra…"

"Games? Games! There's someone in this room who plays games much better than me!"

By now, Caius had seated himself on a bench to watch the argument in interest. It was intriguing to see how worked up Vala was getting. She used to keep her head and wits about her better than this. She was going soft. "Can I say something?"

"NO!" they yelled simultaneously. He raised his brows. The pair continued arguing, air crackling around them with tension. Soon it had turned into a pushing match.

Caius grew tired of the noise. "Slave owners are usually men." They both froze. Vala had grabbed a hold of Daniel's hair and he was pushing her away. Their faces turned in unison as Caius smiled warmly. "Unfortunately for you, Vala, the Gelvians still hold on to those archaic notions about strength and power and men. You'll fit right in as a slave girl."

Forgetting about Daniel, she growled and lunged at Caius. Daniel caught her before she could go far. He held her arms behind her back forcefully. The rounder man didn't even flinch. He instead pointed to a locker, one that held tattered clothing of a revealing nature. Perfect fit for her skinny form. Vala stopped struggling, and Daniel let her go.

Caius stood up. "I'll leave you two to change. Take a left when you exit. I'll have your weapons waiting for you." He left, slamming the metal door closed with a thud. The ceiling light flickered overhead. A brooding silence remained.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please feel free to review.


	4. Bondage

BONDAGE

They landed just outside the auction center in a crowded parking area. Though a dark night had befallen the area, Daniel could make out lines of miserable people being led to ships. He eyed their trail backward to the foreboding facility. Near the entrance, guards were beating an individual senseless, no doubt sending a warning message to the other slaves. Vala watched the beating intently.

"Daniel, I don't like this." He turned at the vulnerability in her voice. She was dressed the part. A dirty, but silky, cloth barely covered her breasts. The material swept from her chest to half-length sleeves with holes in the sides. Her skirt was miniature, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. Daniel fought the urge to let his eyes roam over her white, creamy thighs. She stood with arms crossed over her chest, a tell-tale sign of nerves.

"Come on, it'll be a piece of cake. Just stick to the plan, and we'll be fine."

"Let it be known that I still object to the plan."

"Hey, if you want to find your father, you've got to do this," Daniel said more adamantly. She turned her face to him, then, eyes shining with fear. "What is it?" She shook her head and looked away. He stood up and placed two hands on her shoulders. "Vala?"

She took in a deep breath. "I don't like places like this," she whispered, gesturing toward the dark structure.

He placed a hand on her cheek. Daniel could guess that a place like this reminded her too much of her bondage to Qetesh. "Hey, look at me. I won't let anything happen to you, alright? That's why I'm here," he said softly. She nodded in acknowledgement, but still couldn't shake the terrible feeling in her stomach. It was too familiar. Too real.

A clanking sound made her look down. Daniel was holding the shackles for her wrists. He grimaced apologetically at her. She held out her hands, allowing her wrists to be bound together with the heavy metal. "I won't lock it. Not that it would be a problem for you in the first place." She stared at the shackles and nodded.

They walked over to the door. "You ready?"

She took in another breath and let it out slowly. "Yes." The door opened and Daniel grabbed her arm. He yanked her forcefully out of the ship and onto the gravel. Her bare feet protested as the small rocks cut into her flesh. Vala ended up on the ground. Daniel stood over her with a completely different look on his face. Oh he was playing the part, alright. Dark black and red leather covered his broad chest. His arms were exposed, but carefully adorned with knives sheathed on both sides. His dark pants were loose, enough to hide a weapon or two.

He pretended to kick her with his tough boots. She writhed, swearing she could feel the pain even though he had faked the kick. Daniel hauled her up and dragged Vala toward the facility. She struggled against him, not only to fool observers, but also because she truly did not want to go. It scared her how easily Daniel could act this way.

Two guards stopped them at the entrance. "Check your weapons here before entering." Daniel removed everything obvious, hoping to at least keep a knife hidden in his boot. The security guard waved a scanner over him. It beeped. He held out a hand, and Daniel grumpily surrendered the knife. The other guard sneered at Vala, but she kept her eyes on the ground. "Sellers move to the left," the gruff guard ordered.

The entrance hall ended in an abrupt T-intersection. Vala pulled on him slightly, indicating that they should go right. He grabbed her by the neck and jerked her in that direction. She stumbled, barely managing to stay upright this time. Before long, they reached a large room. Spotlights lit up cages with potential slaves. Some banged on the iron bars yelling to get out. Others sat dejectedly in the middle, either having given up or wailing over their misery. Vala began to have trouble breathing.

"Come on," Daniel growled. He pulled her forward some more.

No one seemed to notice them as they roamed around the room. Vala counted more than three dozen cages, all filled with at least ten or fifteen people each. There were hundreds of slaves here. She wondered how her father would have fared in a place like this. Of all the despicable things he'd done in his life, even he didn't deserve this.

The wails and indignant cries of slaves were drowned out by loud, thumping music blaring from an unknown source. Guards reached in with stunners to silence unruly slaves. Luckily no children were here. They weren't worth all that much. Daniel scanned each of the cages carefully, but saw no one who resembled Jacek. "He's not here," he muttered loud enough for only Vala to hear.

She wasn't surprised. He would have been long gone by now, sold to another trader or transferred to a different auction house. Daniel knew this was a possibility. He spied one of the main auction blocks and began leading her toward it. She pretended to struggle but he was too strong for her.

A female slave was standing on a pedestal. Various dirty hands reached up to grab her legs and squeeze. She winced, tears streaming down her face as she shivered. A cleaner-looking individual held up a long metal stick. He poked at her to indicate various assets and values the "product" possessed. A golden sash was laced across his green uniform.

"That must be the overseer," Daniel decided. Caius had told them that only the overseer had access to the records of where every slave was sent. Most Gelvian overseers had neural link-ups to the offsite database, making it impossible for others to physically hack into it from auction locations. Daniel spied a piece of metal protruding from his left temple, no doubt the neural circuitry that connected him to vital data. One of his eyes was modified, looking more metallic and ghastly than its pair.

With his hand still gripping her arm, Daniel stroked her imperceptibly with his thumb. He was signaling to stay calm as he would initiate the next phase of their plan. He moved off a bit to also grab the slave girl's leg, shoving other potential buyers in the process. The woman looked down at him in worry; someone this aggressive would make a fearsome master. The buyers Daniel had pushed didn't take kindly to his disrespect. One grabbed him by the shoulder, only to receive a punch in return. And thus the brawl began.

The overseer grumbled. As he scanned the crowded room for a guard, he noticed Vala standing alone. She made eye contact with him and flashed him a flirty smile. She waved her shackled hands at him. A ghost of a smile crossed his face. Ignoring the fight he stepped down to her level and eyed her.

"You look lost."

"And now I'm found," she said seductively.

"A sex slave," he deduced aloud. "Where is your master?"

"Somewhere in that throng of testosterone," she said easily, gesturing toward the fight. She glanced and saw that Daniel was managing to hold his own.

"He looks busy. He won't mind if I test out one of his goods to determine its worth." The overseer placed a hand on her back and prodded her toward the back of the auction pedestal. A door slid open, revealing a hallway that led straight back. They walked down this corridor a few meters before stopping at the only door on the left side. Without obvious prompt from the overseer, it creaked open automatically into a spacious room. By now, Vala had ripped off a piece of her skirt and let it fall just outside the door..

Meanwhile, Daniel had beaten back one of the potential buyers. The man was scrawny enough. He now had to challenge the bigger man that blocked his path. He channeled all his anger over the injustice of the slave trade into fighting him hand-to-hand. The bulky fellow put up a good fight, but was no match for Daniel's superior skill. He secretly thanked Teal'c for the lessons. The attacker was down in minutes. The gathering crowd pulled back slightly to avoid being hit. The slaves were in an uproar, beating on the iron bars that held them.

A guard finally pushed through, tiring of the show. He had let it go on long enough. Daniel turned abruptly to where he had left Vala. "Where is my property!?" he yelled maniacally. A few bystanders looked around. He grabbed the approaching guard by the collar. "You will tell me where my slave is or I will slash your throat," he said menacingly.

The guard noted the unconscious victim on the ground. He was not eager to challenge this maniac here. "I know not of which slave you speak."

"You have one more chance to change your answer."

"She's been taken by the overseer!" someone yelled. It was a brave slave in a nearby cage. Another guard stunned him.

Daniel turned wide eyes to the stunned slave then back to the guard. "Where," he demanded.

The guard remained calm. "The overseer is not to be disturbed." Anger boiled in Daniel's eyes.

He kicked the guard suddenly in the gut. Another guard took offense and approached him from behind with a stun stick. Daniel felt a slight burn on his back and turned to relieve the guard of his offending weapon. He waved the stick at him, dialing up the power as he did so. Its end glowed red hot. The guard stepped back as Daniel approached with the stick.

It crackled loudly. The guard continued backward until he reached the edge of one cage. The slaves inside forcibly pushed him forward. Daniel grabbed his collar and placed the stunner dangerously close to his neck. "Now I wonder what this will do if I stick it here?" he said in a low, dangerous voice. The fear in the guard's eyes was not well-masked. "Where is the overseer?"

With a shaking hand, the guard pointed in the direction of his private chamber. Daniel dialed down the power on the stick and stunned the guard into unconsciousness. No one stopped him as he ran toward the hidden entrance. Slaves beat on their cages and howled.

The door behind the auction block slid open automatically. The hallway it hid was well-lit. Few doors were available as he walked its length. A small piece of fabric caught his eye, barely visible against the filthy floor. He faced the door next to it, and it opened easily.

He was disgusted with what he saw. Vala was on her back, hand in the overseer's hair. He was on top, grabbing her in inappropriate ways. Neither noticed his presence as he stepped in. And thankfully both were still clothed. Daniel poked the overseer with the stun stick, causing him to cry out and fall off the table. Surprised, Vala looked up and sat up on her elbows. She breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"How dare you…" the overseer started.

"No, how dare _you_ think you can take her. She is mine!" He prodded him again with a light stun. The overseer remained on the floor but began to crawl back.

Vala's eyes went wide. He looked absolutely crazed. There was blood on his back and scratches on his arms.

The overseer challenged him, "You should take better care not to let her run off!"

"The security in this place is pathetic," Daniel said, ignoring the man's words. He dialed up the power on the stick. It glowed red, the color catching the overseer's eyes. He glanced back and forth between it and this crazed man's face.

"Wait! You should know she has a mouth!" He pointed accusingly at her. Daniel turned to her. She looked fearful. "She was demanding information about another slave!"

"No! He's lying!" Daniel turned down the weapon's strength and immediately stunned her. She fell limp on the table.

He turned back to the overseer, whose mouth hung open. He thought Daniel had killed her. Such cruelty was dangerous for him. "What did she want from you?" he insisted. Daniel approached once again with a glowing hot poker end.

As it grew closer, the overseer's face went blank. He was accessing the database. "She wanted a location," he said hurriedly.

"Tell me," Daniel growled. The overseer spit out spatial coordinates and a name. For his trouble, Daniel stunned him into unconsciousness. Then he kicked him in the gut for good measure. Dropping the stick, he turned his attention back to Vala. He examined her body, checking for bruises, but found no marks.

Sighing, he ran his hands down his face. He didn't know he had it in him to be so… cruel. Daniel shuddered, remembering what Sha're's son had shown him. He truly possessed a darker side that he prayed would never surface again. Daniel hoisted Vala's limp form over his right shoulder and picked up the stunner.

Back out in the auction area, he scanned the crowd. The guards he had accosted were nowhere to be found. Good. He casually made his way through the throngs of people, who parted ways for him. Once closer to the exit, he threw the stunner into one of the cages and left without looking back. The slaves dove for it. One managed to dial it up and zap open the cage. Yells and shouts could be heard in the chaos that ensued.

Daniel reached the main entrance just as the crowd noise grew louder. The two guards who had relieved him of his weapons ran into the facility, ignoring him and Vala. He collected the weapons he had brought, plus a few souvenirs that he could carry in addition. Briskly, he made his way back to their cargo ship.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please feel free to review.


	5. Seduction

SEDUCTION

"Oh." Vala scrunched her face. She struggled to open her eyes but was met with harsh overhead lighting. She faintly heard the sounds of tapping and then beeping.

Soon gentle hands were helping her up into a sitting position. A wave of dizziness overcame her. "Hey," he said gently.

When she finally got her bearings, Vala realized they were back on their ship. The system was running on autopilot. The viewscreen showed they were in hyperspace. She turned to Daniel, whose concerned blue eyes stared back. He had changed into the more casual tan rawhides he had brought with him.

She slapped him. Hard.

His hand went up to his cheek as he fell back. "Ow! What was…" He looked back at her. "Okay, I deserved that," he conceded.

Vala glared at him. "You stunned me!"

"I'm sorry!"

"I can't believe you stunned me!"

"Vala, I said I was sorry!" He attempted to move closer, but she slapped the other cheek as well. "Ow!" He held it tenderly. Good thing he had ditched his glasses in favor of contacts today. They would be a mangled mess by now. Daniel looked back at her angered expression. More calmly, he apologized, "I'm sorry I stunned you."

"Hmpf." She crossed her arms over her chest, legs spread apart slightly. She was still wearing the slave's outfit. "What happened?"

Daniel quickly recounted the events that occurred after she fell unconscious. He crawled closer to her now, confident she wouldn't slap him again. "Did he hurt you?"

The fear in his eyes was sincere. It was a stark contrast to the crazed look she had seen in him earlier. "No. You got there in time." She smacked his arm. "Don't you ever make me do that again!" she yelled with a slight waver.

Daniel didn't miss the hint of vulnerability in her tone. He pulled her into a hug as they sat on the floor. "Never again." He rubbed her bare back. "I promise."

She was stiff in his embrace at first. But as the seconds ticked past, she curled into him, craving the comfort it brought her. She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him tighter. They stayed that way for a while. Daniel could feel silent tears dropping onto his shirt, but he didn't mind. He let her hide her face in his chest for as long as she needed.

As he waited patiently for Vala to let out her emotions, he could only guess what she must be going through. A former host posing as a slave? It was sure to bring back old traumas. He felt incredibly guilty at having a hand in it, but he knew that this was the real world they were ensconced in. The troubles most humans on Earth faced were minor tribulations compared to the horrors of the general universe.

Instead of dying from helplessness, though, Vala took advantage of what she learned from Qetesh. That alone spoke of her will to live, even if it meant doing dishonorable things. _Very_ dishonorable things. But even this fearsome woman was allowed to vent. Subconsciously, Daniel knew that she only ever let down her walls for him. It was that intense understanding between them that allowed her to cry quietly in his arms now.

He looked away as she used her fists to wipe her tears. When Vala was ready, she looked up at him. "Thanks," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," he returned with a gentle smile. He didn't look away from her eyes this time. Their faces were just centimeters apart, and her breath tickled his mouth.

The temptation to kiss was there. Definitely there. He couldn't deny the urge this time, realizing that moments like this were occuring too often between them. Daniel doubted, though, that this was the right time to give in to the urge. Such an act would only confuse his feelings more, dangerous at a time when he needed to be absolutely focused. Vala settled for stroking his cheek lightly and pulling away from his embrace. He helped her up, and just as they stood, the ship buckled.

The lights dimmed and the cargo ship abruptly exited hyperspace. "What did you do!" Vala exclaimed. She rushed to the pilot's chair.

"It must be damage!" She turned to him angrily and he raised his hands. "We took fire exiting the atmosphere. Apparently they didn't take too kindly to the overseer being accosted."

She shook her head as she examined the systems. Getting down to her knees, she pulled out the crystal tray underneath the center console. A fried crystal made an audible clink and rolled away as she hastily switched other crystals around.

Vala sat back in the pilot's chair and read the new displays. She groaned. "We've only got one jump left before the system gives out." Daniel placed a hand on the back of her chair and leaned in to study the display.

"That's not good," he commented, feeling stupid for botching their escape.

"No. It's not. I don't have the supplies to fix this. We need to acquire some."

"And how exactly are you planning to 'acquire' supplies?" Daniel asked with mild suspicion.

Vala ignored his tone. "There's a chop shop forty sectors from here." She used the star charts to indicate its location. "It should have the parts we need."

"That's a long way off course."

"This ship won't be any good to us if we can't make it go, especially if we find my father at the next location." She made the course correction and prompted the ship back into hyperspace. As if sensing her reluctance, the ship's engines choked momentarily before transporting them back into the blue abyss.

000

Within a day, they arrived on the light side of a moon orbiting an uninhabitable planet.

"Daniel."

"Yeah?"

"Hold on." The ship jerked. Within seconds the gravity of the moon began to pull them down in an uncontrolled descent. They rocked back and forth violently. It took some careful maneuvering on Vala's part to keep the clunker of a ship from crash-landing. Daniel's knuckles turned white from gripping the seat so hard. When the ship finally stilled on solid ground, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

It wasn't long before the lights cut out and all the displays shut down. "Tell me we're close to the chop shop," Daniel said to the pitch black air.

"Close enough," it replied. "We have to make sure we can get out, first." A small portable light sputtered on, revealing Vala's look of tired frustration.

"Great," he muttered back.

They used the goodies Daniel had stolen from the auction center to blast open the door. The outside world greeted them harshly. A howling wind blew cold air into the damaged ship. The pair took one look outside, then at Vala's slave girl outfit. It was time she change into more appropriate attire.

Soon they were trudging through rough terrain, Vala clad in her tan leather, toward a barely visible structure in the distance. Trees were a rarity here, but thorny bushes with tangled branches were in large supply. Each of them was laden with packs of gear that couldn't be left behind in an open, unguarded ship. Daniel readjusted his pack for the fifth time as they stumbled. He held his tongue about their current location, mindful of the whole reason he had come in the first place – to help Vala.

Twenty minutes of trudging felt like an hour, but they finally made it. Daniel squinted to get a better look at where they were. A translucent bubble of energy seemed to rise several stories out of nowhere to encase a large structure. The continuous disturbances in the energy field restricted their view of the inside. Likely this was on purpose.

"Don't touch anything. These force fields are designed to deter whole ships," Vala warned.

Daniel furrowed his brow. "Right. No touching." He marveled at the fact that _she_ was telling him not to touch something, and not the other way around. Vala walked up and down the circumference of the bubble, apparently searching for something. She didn't bother explaining what she was looking for. Daniel didn't bother asking. He let her concentrate on her task, whatever that was.

Eventually, she clapped her hands together and allowed a smile to grace her features. Grabbing a dead branch from nearby, she carefully tested the solidity of the field. It went straight through with little hint of disturbance from the surrounding energy. Vala glanced at Daniel with satisfaction, and he knew she had found their entrance. Without looking back, the pair entered the bubble.

They were welcomed by the business ends of large weapons. Instinctively, Daniel and Vala held up their hands. The wielders of those weapons were an unfriendly-looking bunch, and ugly. They were covered with scaly brown skin. A pair of de-evolved horns drooped down from each of their heads, like the heads of rams on Earth. Daniel whispered, "Is that…"

"No," Vala whispered back harshly.

A gruff voice emanated from one of the aliens. "State your business here."

"We've come to trade," she said simply.

The alien in charge studied them further. "What species are you?"

"Human," Daniel replied.

Somewhat surprisingly, he burst into laughter. Looking at his fellow aliens, he said, "They are no threat. Humans are weak." And with that the would-be attackers let them go. Vala rolled her eyes as they left.

"What was…"

"You don't want to know, Darling." The pair headed for a large building that served as a hangar bay for small ships.

"Are those the same guys that you tried to steal the Prometheus for?" Daniel persisted.

A small smile lit up her face as she remembered the day they met. "No, but they are from the same species. This particular bunch strikes me as more arrogant than stupid. Must be the evolved version."

They arrived at the hangar bay before he could ask additional questions. A female alien stepped away from a ship she was fixing to stop them at the entrance. She seemed positively hostile toward Vala, but sneered provocatively at Daniel. He shivered inwardly. "What business do you have here?" she questioned.

Daniel let Vala do the talking. "We've come to trade. Our ship needs parts."

"You mean that piece of tartak junk parked just outside the perimeter?"

The pair glanced at each other. "Yes," Vala answered hesitantly.

"Not worth it."

Daniel spoke up, "And how would you know?"

"I scanned the little beater as you entered atmo. Or rather, crashed into it. It is worth nothing as a whole, but…" She paused significantly, as if waiting for something.

Vala pulled out one of the high-powered weapons Daniel confiscated from the auction house. She didn't aim it at the alien female, but rather offered it to her.

The scaly alien smiled. "That ship of yours would catch a fair price in parts."

"Hmm. And I take it you have some alternate form of transportation for us in return," Vala guessed.

The female stroked her new gun. "No." And she walked away.

Vala's hands balled up into fists at her sides. Daniel leaned in. "Now what?" he whispered.

She turned and looked him straight in the eyes. "She doesn't like me, Daniel. That much is obvious. We won't get a fair trade whether I find a way to swindle her or not," she said quietly. Vala eyed the female alien for a moment. "However," she continued, bringing a finger to her chin in thought, "she does like _you_."

Daniel made a face. He'd known Vala long enough to guess what she was thinking, and he didn't like it one bit. "No."

"Oh yes."

"But she's, she's an…" he stuttered. "No, that's just wrong," he went on adamantly.

"I'm not telling you to have sex with her, just…"

"What," he challenged with narrowed eyes.

Vala knew that Daniel had his limits. She was an expert enough on that, what with all her flirting and seducing him in the past. "Daniel, you are an irresistibly charming man. For once just use that body of yours to its fullest advantage!" she said while still maintaining a hushed whisper.

He groaned. "Somewhere there's a compliment in there," he said, referring to her words.

"Do you want to get off this rock or not?" she asked forcefully. He didn't reply but looked over in the direction of the alien. She was busy examining her new gun. Vala whispered instructions into his ear. Daniel ran his hand through his hair and down his face, mustering up the courage to do what Vala proposed.

"Fine," he muttered. Daniel sucked in a breath and marched over to the alien female. She ignored him as he approached. "Perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement," he started.

She looked up. Her red-hazed eyes took a long, hard look at him from head to toe. Licking her lips, the unnamed female smiled. "What sort of an agreement are you interested in?" She pushed the cart in front of her away, leaving nothing standing between her and Daniel.

He swallowed. "You tell me where I can get a new ship, and…"

If she could come any closer, she would. An arm began to snake its way behind his back. "Go on," she said seductively.

Daniel mustered up the courage to keep his voice level. "I'll make it worth your while."

"And in what form exactly will this payment be… or is it compensation?" The hand behind his back started to stroke his behind. Daniel forced himself not to jump. Never more than now did he wish it was Vala trying to seduce him instead.

Meanwhile Vala looked on with arms crossed tightly against her chest. She had stepped off to the side to keep out of the alien woman's sight and to let Daniel "work." The scowl on her face was undeniable. She secretly berated herself for letting him do this and vowed never to let it happen again. Her fingers itched for a weapon.

Daniel decided to channel a little Vala. He turned on a charming and equally seductive smile. His hand grabbed the female's hip as he leaned into her ear, or where her ear should be. In a low voice, "Just think of it as a surprise that you won't want to miss. I promise you'll like it." He felt her shiver in delight. _Oh God, she's actually turned on. Dammit, Vala._

The creature giggled in her own alien way, then whispered into his ear, "You're lucky you're not as ugly as your friend there. It just so happens that a ship has become available. The previous owner is no longer in need of it."

Daniel didn't want to know what she meant by that. "And where is this suddenly-available ship?"

"Compensation first."

He chuckled. "The compensation I have in mind is a bit more _private_ in nature." He raised a shaky hand to stroke her, er, horns. "The confines of a new ship with my name on it would be the perfect place."

Her eyes brightened with delight. "Such as in the pilot's chair?"

Daniel tried to hide his disgust. "Mmm hmm."

"Or in the engine room, _against_ the active engine?"

"The more active the better."

"I like the way you think." She leaned her face in close and stoked his stubbled cheek with a scaly finger. "It's just in the next hangar bay. An Alkesh that I was saving for an opportunity just like this."

"Then we have a deal."

The alien grabbed Daniel's face in her hands and melded with his body. Lips made contact. The tell-tale ping of a zat sounded off; she feinted instantly. Daniel stood there, dumbfounded and disturbed. Vala ran up to look down at the alien and was utterly disgusted at what she saw. "Ugh. Daniel, how could you even suggest sexual activity with _that_?"

Angrily, he broke out of his stupor. "This was all _your_ idea!"

"Yes, but I never expected you to be successful at it."

"What!"

"Come on. We'd better get out of here before she wakes up." Vala grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the next hangar bay. They ran in to find the Alkesh. Within minutes, Vala had it up and running. "It's not exactly luxury, but it's bigger than what we had before."

Daniel took a seat next to Vala. "This better be worth it," he grumbled.

"There's plenty of storage space. We can use one of the rooms as a place for Jacek to recuperate in." After commanding the ship to rise into orbit, she turned. "You sure you still want to hang around?"

He turned his head to her as well. "What are you talking about?"

"There's no way to know how dangerous this will be or if we'll even make it out alive. If I go down, I shouldn't take you down with me." She was sincere.

Daniel grabbed the side of her face. "Vala, I didn't come this far just to abandon you now." He smiled a little. "Besides, I nearly prostituted myself back there with an ugly alien. You owe me," he said with conviction. "When this is all over, you're going to pay up. I intend to keep you alive so that you can do so."

Vala's eyebrows rose momentarily. Her instincts sounded an alarm, as if he were some untrustworthy business partner. But this was Daniel, wasn't it? "Huh. What exactly will this payment look like?" she said with suspicion.

He smirked as he thought. "I haven't decided yet." And that was more frightful than anything because he was leaving her with no sense of what to expect. Without warning, he laid a wet kiss on her cheek.

Vala cried out in disgust. "Bloody hell! Alien juice!" The left-over saliva of the alien creature was now on her. Daniel laughed as Vala tried unceremoniously to wipe off the last of the slime from her cheek.

"That's what you get for making me kiss that disgusting, ugly…"

"Oh shut up!" She pushed him deeper into his seat and smacked him on the arm. She tried to do it again but he deflected her blow. Soon she was standing over him to get a better shot. Daniel laughed as she tried to hit him more.

Eventually Vala was laughing too as their play-fight progressed. She launched both arms, but he caught her wrists. They struggled against each other half-heartedly while they grinned. Before long, both realized that Vala was straddling Daniel in his seat. Their bodies were close, their faces even closer.

His eyes locked with hers as they stilled. In that moment, Vala truly understood. Daniel was here to stay. "You really do want to help me, don't you?"

"Of course I do. That's what friends do."

"Even if it means rescuing someone who shouldn't be worth your time?"

"Are you surprised that I'm willing to help someone who's considered a thief and a liar?"

"Actually… yes." The ship exited the atmosphere. Vala turned back to the console to punch in coordinates. The distraction gave her time to process what Daniel had just said. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'm considered a thief and a liar and you've helped me in the past."

Daniel used his hand to turn her face back to him. "Used to be. Used to be a thief and a liar. But not anymore. Remember? You made a decision to become a better person." She couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

"Whether I've become 'better' is up for scrutiny."

His hands gently rubbed her shoulders. "I say you are. And don't ever forget that."

She paused. "Thank you," she said quietly, implying her thanks for everything he'd ever done for her. She hugged him as best she could while still straddled against him in his seat. Daniel didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her in comfort.

When she pulled away, he said, "Now let's go get your father." Automatically, the ship followed Vala's previous commands and entered hyperspace.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please feel free to review.


	6. Search

SEARCH

The coordinates led them to large space station orbiting a gaseous planet. It was obviously Goa'uld in design, but it was more obvious that the Goa'uld were no longer home. Ships of all shapes and sizes were docked along the massive outer wall. The station wasn't easy on the eyes, reminding one of scrap metal floating in space.

Formal communications came in the form of docking instructions. No central command offered greetings or questioned their presence. It seemed that the station was running on autopilot. "Is that normal?"

"Nothing is normal, Darling. But this is common. No one wants to take responsibility for maintaining the place because they'll be seen as an authority."

"I take it authority figures don't last very long here."

"Not since the fall of the Goa'uld, no."

"This place must be massive inside. How do we know where to even start?"

"Won't know until we get in."

Docking was relatively easy. They were armed to the teeth and inside the bowels of the station within minutes. Daniel scanned the crowd and noted every single person here was just as armed. Many chose to wear long trench coats, no doubt to hide additional weaponry. He felt very exposed with just his leather suit.

Vala motioned for them to head to the right. As they walked along the corridor, shifty eyes stared them down. No one here could be trusted, she had warned him before arriving. Daniel gripped his gun tighter, anxious in these new surroundings. The crowd began to swell as they moved forward. Before long, the pair was brushing shoulders with others. Daniel made a mental note to watch for straying hands.

A large man with scars on his bald head bumped into Daniel. He stopped to stare him down but Vala's gun made contact with his temple before Daniel could react. She glared at the man just as viciously, and he grunted as he stalked away. "Just another day in paradise, huh?" he muttered.

Vala cocked an eyebrow at him as they continued to move. The corridor opened up into a huge central space. It was a cylinder in the center of the station. Several other hallways connected with the circular base, and many more levels overlooked their position at the bottom. This was the main hub, where most of the business was transacted.

People were everywhere. Humans and aliens mingled easily, including species Daniel had never seen before. Vala mumbled to not look any of them in the eye. She scanned the crowd herself, searching for her first clue. "What are we looking for?" Daniel said quietly.

"Anything to indicate the presence of the slave trade or slave transportation."

"How will we know when we see it?" he whispered into her ear.

"That's the hard part. I'm not sure."

They continued to hold their position and scan the crowd. A fight broke out nearby, but it was of no consequence. When the violence began to spill in their direction, Daniel and Vala moved off to avoid it. Daniel spotted what looked like a bar situated against the wall between two corridors. He steered Vala toward it.

A room had been built complete with tables and chairs. The place was rather dark and deep into the wall. They ordered some drinks and leaned against the side wall to watch the other visitors. A few patrons were sitting about, conducting business. Other groggy drinkers flailed their arms wildly in pointless conversation. None of it seemed all that extraordinary.

They willed each other to remain patient and hold their positions. After 20 minutes of waiting, their patience began to pay off. The tell-tale green uniforms of Gelvian slave traders tipped them off. Three guardsmen went straight to the bar and ordered drinks.

"How do you want to play this one?" Daniel asked, adrenaline kicking in.

Vala thought for a moment. Surely these three guards were not alone, but they seemed to be settling in for a long night. Vala couldn't wait that long to follow them back to their ship when they were done. She needed to give them a reason to call in their buddies or to go back. "Go outside and watch for others. They came from somewhere, and I'll bet that's where the slaves are." He nodded and exited the bar discreetly.

She sauntered over to a rather drunken-looking bunch of men and flashed them her trademark smile. They were loose enough to welcome a beautiful woman into their group without suspicion. She wiggled her hips in such a way to make them believe she was here purely for selfish reasons. While she struck up a conversation about her travels and successful swindles, Vala kept an eye on the green shirts. They didn't seem to notice her, and if they did, they didn't care.

She had her little group of big men wrapped around her finger within minutes. She leaned in conspiratorially, as if ready to tell them a secret. They mimicked her movement, clearly hanging on her every word. One man placed a heavy arm around her shoulder. His alcohol-laden breath brushed her face. "You see those green shirts over there?" The men looked quickly, then nodded. "They're slave traders. The best in the business. I think they're stupid enough, though, to pick a few of you boys up for auction."

A man across from her guffawed at the notion. "Let them try. I'll slit their throats sooner than they can blink an eye at me."

Another spoke up, "Not before I burn off their legs with my pulse pistol."

The man with his arm around Vala pulled out his gun. "Let's get 'em," he said simply. Vala hung back as the group of men made their way to the green shirts. She stayed mostly in the shadows, lest any of them recognize her.

It wasn't long before the confrontation turned into a firefight inside the bar. Tables were overturned and chairs thrown about. Several uninvolved patrons ran out of the bar. Outside, Daniel noticed all the commotion. When he peeked in, a pulse blast nearly fried his face. He pulled back fast, lucky that his reflexes were so quick. He shook his head at Vala's uncanny ability to start trouble. Now uneasy, he reminded himself to hold position.

Back inside, Vala found herself being suddenly pushed up against the wall by some large fellow she couldn't see very well. He had stayed out of the fight with intentions of getting to her. She tried to reach for her own gun but found that the grip on her shoulders was too strong. He sneered at her, revealing a lack of dental hygiene not uncommon in these parts.

Without hesitation, his hands began to roam along her thighs and backside as he licked the side of her face. Vala did the only thing she could in that situation; she spit in his face. He turned at the sudden onslaught, giving her a chance to knee him in the gut and punch him away. But it wasn't enough, and as she tried to run away, he got a grip on her too quickly. Her actions had only made him angrier. She tried to struggle against his hold.

Nearby the firefight began to take a turn. The drunken attackers were gaining the upper hand over the slave guards. One Gelvian had already fallen dead from pulse blasts and the other two were running out of ammo.

Vala was too busy trying to fend off her own attacker to notice what happened next. The attacking patrons were shot dead, leaving the green shirts enough time to run out. The forceful man holding Vala forced his tongue into her mouth. She bit it with ferocity and got a hard slap in return. He kissed her again, and now she tasted his blood in her mouth. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she ran out of strength to fight him. She closed them tight.

A shot rang out. His grip on her loosened. When she opened her eyes again, he was dead on the floor, blood flowing out of a bullet wound to the temple. It was the bald man who bumped into Daniel earlier. Vala felt herself shaking. Daniel moved in, hands gently holding her neck and forcing her to look at him. "Hey," he started.

Vala grabbed his gun out of its holster and two shots exploded. When Daniel glanced back, one had impacted the man's chest while the other went much lower. He made a mental note to never piss Vala off. Her arm was still raised, so he relieved her of the gun and secured it back in its place at his side.

She shook within his arms, prompting him to rest his forehead against hers. "You're safe now. He's dead. Very dead." He knew it was pointless to ask if she was okay.

Vala gripped his shirt with both fists. She calmed her erratic breathing and tried desperately to regain control. "I know," she whispered, "I know."

Daniel's heightened senses told him they needed to get out of this bar or more trouble would come. "Come on, I saw where the guards retreated to. We can still catch them." He pulled her away from the wall and led her out, stepping carefully over the carnage the firefight had left behind.

As the pair moved down the corridor Daniel had indicated, Vala took that time to refocus her thoughts. The man who attacked her was just a temporary distraction. She could deal with the emotional turmoil that undoubtedly caused later. Weaving through the thick crowd did wonders to divert her attention from the events of the previous minutes.

Daniel was leading the way, but occasionally he glanced back to see Vala's expression. She had placed her mask on again, schooling her features and all business. He worried about her, but knew that this was neither the time nor the place to address his concerns.

They reached the end of the corridor, and it opened up to another docking bay with a long line of airlocks. The crowd was decidedly thinner here, allowing Daniel the field of vision he needed to scan for green shirts. Vala clung to him from behind, her grip stronger than usual on his wrist. Her body hung close in an unconscious desire for security. Though her face showed a woman of great determination, her body betrayed her recent trauma.

She spotted blood on the floor. A trail led to the left and far down the bay. "There," she pointed.

Daniel saw it too and cautiously pulled them in that direction. He steered them along the wall, behind crates and throngs of people. Soon the blood trail ended at an airlock on the far end of the bay. Behind a large shipping crate, they spied slaves being transferred from airlock to airlock. Green shirts were everywhere. "This is it," Vala whispered, her voice hoarse.

"I don't see Jacek."

"We might be too late," Vala said desperately.

A guard hovered close to their hiding place. "Not if I can help it." Daniel pulled out his gun. From the shadows, he let cold, hard steel make contact with the back of the guard's neck. No one could really see Daniel's hand gripping his shoulder to pull him back. No one noticed the slight ping of a zat blast once the guard disappeared from view.

"What are you doing?" Vala questioned as she watched their opening for visitors. Daniel began stripping off the guard's clothes.

"I'm going in there as one of them. I'll figure out where Jacek is." He stripped off his top, latent wounds visible on his strong back. They stung from the movement; he wasn't completely healed from the fight in the auction center just days ago. Vala's eyes took in the injuries before returning to the opening.

"What are you going to do, just walk in there?" she questioned.

Vala jumped when she felt his warm breath in her ear. "Yup." She turned and he was already dressed up as a guard.

"Didn't someone do this in a movie I saw?"

"Indiana Jones. That's where I got the idea," Daniel said with a sparkle in his eye.

She turned fully to him and gripped his shirt. "Well, Indy, be careful." She laid a strong kiss on his lips, careful not to open her mouth.

He pulled her away. "Ugh! Man juice!" he shouted in a whisper.

Vala laughed silently. "Now we're even!"

Daniel shook his head and scowled at her. He laid a hand on her shoulder. "Stay here, and stay alive." Vala nodded, trusting him to do whatever it was he intended to do. Within seconds, he had exited their safe, dark space and ventured out into the throng of slaves and guards.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please feel free to review.


	7. Rescue

RESCUE

He schooled his features. The scowl he had directed at Vala in jest was now a dangerous look he directed toward anyone who dared to look him in the eye. He held his stunner with professional ease as he walked straight for an airlock.

Daniel moved along a line of depressed slaves into the ship they were being transferred to. The endless line of doomed souls led into a cargo bay. Cages, not unlike those at the auction center, littered the floor. People were being scanned and herded into them. It was an incredibly organized process from what Daniel could tell. That was a good thing for him and Vala.

He walked up and down the rows of cages, trying to look dangerous. The slaves seemed to be divided up by relative age. He paced along to another row, watching for signs of Jacek. His task was made all the more difficult by the dirtied faces of everyone he saw. None of them had bathed for days on end, that was sure. He was about to give up on this row when he came across the last cage.

There he was, curled up in the corner. Jacek didn't look much like himself. But now that Daniel had found him, how did he get him out?

"You there," a gruff voice shouted. Daniel turned. Another guard was calling to him. "Help me with this one!" The green shirt was struggling to control a rather defiant slave, a man who couldn't be more than 50. He was skinny as a stick, but desperation gave him the strength to struggle against the guard.

Daniel looked back at Jacek, who hadn't moved. He complied with the guard's order and pinned down the slave. In the struggle, Daniel managed to get close enough to whisper in his ear. "Take my stunner and subdue the other guard. Then pretend to get me. I'm gonna get you out of here."

The slave needed time to process his words, but once he understood, he complied with ferocity. He flipped Daniel over his shoulder, grabbing the stunner in the process. He pretended to stab the archaeologist with it then attacked the other guard. Daniel played dead until the other guard's stunner fell conveniently at his side. Looking up and seeing that other guards were a long way off, he grabbed the stunner and blasted a nearby cage open. When the slaves inside realized the door was unlocked, they rushed out, nearly trampling Daniel in the process.

In the chaos, no one saw him release another cage full of slaves. The guards busied themselves with the escapees while he opened a third cage, the one containing Jacek. Everyone else flooded out, but Jacek remained still. Daniel couldn't believe it. He stayed outside of the cage but made his way over to Jacek. "What are you waiting for?" he said through the bars. Jacek moaned. "Get up and run!"

When Vala's father looked up to see the source of the voice, he barely recognized its owner. "What's the point."

_Oh god_. Daniel knelt down. "Vala's waiting for you."

Jacek's eyes widened. "Vala?" Around them, chaos continued.

000

Vala watched from behind the crate impatiently. Daniel had been in there for a long time now. She began to fear that he had been captured or killed. Behind her, the guard stirred. She zatted him again, stalling his recovery from the original zat blast.

She looked for any signs of Jacek or Daniel's return. Her heart sank with the prospect of losing them both.

000

"Hey!" a strong hand grabbed Daniel's shoulder from behind. He instinctively hammered his elbow into the chest of his attacker. The guard fell back. Daniel turned his arm back quickly to stun the guard unconscious.

With Jacek struggling to stay upright on his other arm, getting out of this place was proving difficult. Another guard accosted him but he quickly felled this attacker. He needed something to distract the other guards while he made his escape. Jacek fell limp in his arms.

"Jacek! Don't do this to me now, buddy. I need you to be able to move." But it was no use. Jacek was in no condition to run of his own accord. Daniel couldn't very well carry him and defend himself at the same time. "Crap," he muttered, as the shadows of more guards approaching shown on the floor.

He looked left, then right, and saw an access door. Stunning the panel with his stick, it opened easily into another corridor. He pulled Jacek's limp body along with him, closing the door just in time before more guards arrived.

000

Vala grew tired of waiting. Jacek was her father, so she should be the one getting him out. Not Daniel. Zat tightly gripped in one hand and pistol in the other, she raced out of her hiding space. To hell with Daniel's orders to stay where she was. He needed her help.

She began shooting down guards without hesitation. Shots were soon being directed at her and she had to take cover. Slaves scattered, causing more chaos and making it easier for Vala to disappear among them. The guards began firing indiscriminately at her last known position.

Vala moved quickly among the panicked slaves, careful to stay low. When she arrived at the airlock, the guards had no warning. They went down without effort. But before Vala could step foot into the connection between the dock and the ship, a great explosion rocked the station. It knocked her down onto her behind. "What the…"

Through the clear window one of the slave ships was firing on the other. A successive set of energy blasts blew the ship Daniel was on off its docking clamps. It floated away in a leaking, burning mass of metal. The airlock immediately sensed an opening and sealed the doors.

"NOOO!" She banged on the door. "Daniel!" Vala watched helplessly as the ship crashed into another and exploded.

Tears stung her eyes, and her mouth hung open in shock.

Time seemed to stand still.

If people around her were screaming, she didn't hear any of it.

No longer aware of her surroundings, she didn't resist when a pair of hands hauled her up. No doubt it was an angry guard ready to take his revenge. She didn't care. Couldn't care. Her father and her Daniel were gone. There was no way to get them back now. Her purpose in life was effectively erased.

A voice yelled into her ear. A rough hand grabbed her face forcefully to make her pay attention. "Vala! Wake up! We need to move!"

It was a guard. But how did he know her name? She was still in shock, unable to comprehend what was happening.

A hard slap to the face. The pain of it brought her back. Color seeped back into her expression and she grabbed the green shirt of the guard who had hit her. Growling, she pushed him back, ready to die fighting.

When the man caught her wrists, something in Vala told her to stop. The contact was familiar. With her eyes she traced the length of the arms up the shoulders and neck to the face of the guard. He was breathing heavily and extremely stressed.

"Daniel?"

"Vala," he said forcefully, "Move!" She gasped as reality hit her. On autopilot, her limbs jumped into gear. She grabbed Jacek's other arm, instinctively knowing he was there, and helped Daniel haul him away from the chaos. They made quick work of dodging latent guards and getting the hell out of there.

000

The blue swirling abyss of hyperspace engulfed the ship. Vala didn't really know where the ship was taking them. So long as it was far away from the space station, it was fine with her. She wanted to collapse with exhaustion, but knew that Jacek was waiting for her.

She set the system on autopilot and went to look for Daniel. She found both of them in a small room not far off from the bridge. Daniel had laid down an old blanket, allowing Jacek to rest on top of it, barely alive.

"It doesn't look good," he muttered as he tried to wrap Jacek's injuries in gauze.

Vala fell to her knees beside him. "Jacek?" she whispered.

Faintly, he turned his head. "Vala." A pause. "For once, can you just call me 'Dad'?"

She laughed through her tears. "Dad."

"That's better," he said with a scratchy voice. And with that, he fell unconscious. Vala leaned over him, placing a hand on his chest. His heartbeat was barely there. She surveyed his body, not at all shocked to see how broken he was. His tattered clothes did little to mask the bruises and dried blood that had accumulated on his skin. Large burns seemed to ooze from his arms, torso, and legs, no doubt from dialed-up stun sticks. His face was a dirtied mess. The right eye was swollen shut and his lips bled. This Jacek was far from the well-coifed swindler Vala had grown up knowing.

She didn't know Daniel was behind her until he pulled her off of Jacek. They didn't go far. Daniel sat back and drew Vala into his arms. She leaned her head against his cheek, eyes still on her father. Daniel let out a breath."We need to get him medical attention. Where are we going?"

"I'm not sure."

"What! Vala…"

"I know, let me go fix it." She got up and headed for the bridge. Daniel took another look at Jacek, then followed.

She was already seated at the pilot's chair, changing their course back to Earth. The display indicated that they would be there in two days. Hopefully Jacek could hold on long enough to make it to their destination.

Daniel laid his hands on Vala's shoulders from behind the chair. "We're almost done," he said quietly. "The hard part is over."

Vala stood up and embraced him. This gesture was becoming more common as of late. "I thought I lost you," she whispered shakily.

"I thought I almost lost me, too," he said into her hair.

Still in the hug, she smacked his arm. "Never again." She pulled back to look at him. "From now on, we stay together. Always."

Daniel's serious look transformed into a smile. He leaned his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. "Okay."

She hugged him more fiercely. "How the hell did you get out of there? I saw the ship get knocked off its clamps."

"I got cut off from the airlock and found a ring room instead. The rings sent me across to the other slave ship."

"It was shooting at the other one."

"Yeah, that wasn't me. I didn't realize what was happening until Jacek and I made it out of the other airlock."

"Why would they shoot their own ship?"

"Don't know. Don't care." He nuzzled his nose against hers. She accepted his chaste kiss.

"Ugh."

"Ugh."

"Alien spit."

"Man juice."

A/N: Not done yet. Thanks to all who have joined me this far. Let me know what you think!


	8. Recovery

RECOVERY

In the observation room above the operating theatre, Daniel held Vala close while the doctors tried to save Jacek. They weren't actually watching the procedure. It was too much blood for either one's taste, and both had seen enough in the past few days. When Mitchell walked in a half hour later, Daniel's head was slumped back and Vala was sleeping in his lap. He tsked at the poor scene. They were absolutely exhausted.

He looked down at the operation. Grabbing the mic, he spoke to the medical team below. "How's it going, Dr. Lam?"

She looked up. "It's going to be a while. His injuries are extensive," she said in a clipped tone. It was clear she couldn't be bothered. The doctors and nurses continued to work.

Mitchell understood and turned around. The sitting position Daniel was in couldn't be comfortable, so he shook his shoulder. "Jackson." He stirred. "Get some rest. I'll take care of the Princess."

Still groggy from sleep, he said, "No, we stay together," echoing Vala's orders earlier on the Alkesh.

"Fine, whatever. But you shouldn't stay here. It could be hours before they're done. Come on." He patted him on the shoulder and Daniel winced. "You sure you're okay?"

"The doctors can see me later." Mitchell carefully lifted Vala into his arms, not bothering to wake her. Daniel stood up and followed them out. They didn't go far. Mitchell laid Vala down in one of the infirmary beds, certain she'd want to be close when news of her father arrived. Daniel laid a hand on Mitchell's shoulder in thanks.

Cameron cocked an eyebrow. He watched as Daniel scooted in on the bed beside Vala and put an arm around her. He didn't even care where they were or who saw. Puzzled, Mitchell pulled the curtain closed and left them in peace.

000

"He's as comfortable as we can make him in his condition. When he wakes up, we'll reassess."

Vala pulled Dr. Lam into a hug. "Thank you, Carolyn." Dr. Lam took one whiff of Vala and pulled away.

"Hit the showers. Please."

"Yes, ma'am." Vala approached Jacek's bed and laid a hand on his. He looked like a mummy, all wrapped up. Tubes were attached in every possible place. But he was alive. She smiled faintly and left the room to do as the doctor ordered.

The warm water seemed to melt away the tension in her entire body. She had finished washing up minutes ago, staying only to relax under the gentle pressure of the shower. Vala leaned her forehead onto her arm and against the stall. She sighed, trying to relax herself. It was difficult to believe Daniel when he said the hard part was over. She had been so wound up from the guilt and the worry. Only now did she allow herself to believe that things were alright again.

When she returned to her father's bedside, a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her. She relished the embrace and leaned her head against Daniel's cheek. Vala closed her eyes. They stood there quietly for a long moment. Though Vala seemed to be completely relaxed, her mind was now whirling. She had gone through a lot more turmoil in the past few days than she had in the past few years. Not since Adria's demise had she felt this vulnerable and broken.

Her recent foray into her previous life was unwelcome and costly. Vala had worked hard to create barriers within her mind, walls to keep out the bad memories while she focused on making better ones. She could feel them slowly falling over like a brick wall, piece by piece. Being attacked by not one, but two, men with terrifying intentions had kick-started it all. Things hadn't been this bad in a long time.

She turned around to bury her face into Daniel's chest. She didn't cry or shiver. She simply stood. His arms tightened around her. No words were said. Vala willed herself to build new barricades, more blockades against her traumas. Her mind was such a complicated mess that probably no one could understand. This would take time.

Daniel stroked her hair as he held her. It was soft and still damp as he ran his fingers through it. "Take your time," he whispered to her, as if knowing exactly what was going on in her head. The scraping of a chair across the floor brought her back to reality. Daniel sat down and pulled Vala into his lap. They didn't say a word, but continued to look after Jacek in his tortured sleep.

They stayed that way for a while before Carolyn showed up. She didn't react to the scene of Vala sitting peacefully in Daniel's lap, with his arms tucked around her waist. "Go rest."

"I want to stay here," Vala replied quietly. She never took her eyes off Jacek. The constant beeps of monitors continued on in the background.

Carolyn put her hands on her hips. She gave Daniel a look of warning. "Come on," he said finally. "She's right." He patted her leg. Vala sighed as she got up. She leaned over Jacek one more time, as if trying to memorize his face before she left.

"I swear we will call you the moment he wakes up." Carolyn swung around the pair and gently pushed them off. "Now go," she commanded. And with that she shooed them out of the infirmary.

Arm around Vala's shoulders, Daniel walked her back to her quarters. The time they had spent together in such dire circumstances made him appreciate the few moments they could have in peace. She didn't question him when he settled into bed beside her. It simply felt right. Necessary. She couldn't be alone at this awful hour.

Before drifting into sleep, he gave her a proper kiss. Vala smiled. "Daniel spit."

"Vala juice," he muttered.

000

They woke up the next morning of their own accord. No alarms were blaring. No one had called them in the middle of the night because of Jacek. So they rested comfortably, not ready to face the new day.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm," he said into her hair, eyes still closed.

"Don't I owe you something?" It took him a minute to remember what she was talking about: payback for making him kiss an ugly alien.

"Oh. I was joking."

She got up on her elbows to look down on him in the faint light. "But I do owe you. You helped me when no one else would."

"Don't worry about it." She smacked him abruptly on the arm. "Ow!" His hand went up to rub the spot she hit. "You really are abusive, you know." He scowled at her.

"Shall I kiss it better?"

He paused. Her words were familiar. Eyes closed again, he smiled. "Sure." And she did. Vala's kisses moved up along his arm to his neck. Daniel was enjoying this entirely too much. But he didn't care. Before long, her mouth had connected with his. The kiss transformed from light to passionate to arousing in mere seconds.

She turned him over to give him proper payback for all he had done. Her hands burrowed their way up his shirt, feeling his muscled torso carefully and slowly. They were warm and relaxing, making Daniel shiver with delight at the touch of a woman after so many years. He smiled gently with his eyes closed.

Soon she was pulling off his shirt and using the opportunity to kiss his chest. Her hair tickled his sides, so he ran his hands through it again. He pulled her face to his for another searing kiss. With her body pressed up against him, Vala could feel his need. His fingers ghosted along her sides and found their way to the hem of her shirt. He relieved her of her camisole and began kissing her neck, hands roaming down to places they had never explored.

His touch was soothing and slow. He rolled her over on the bed so he could be on top and do a proper exploration of her curves. He kissed her lips lightly as he massaged every piece of skin he could get his fingers on. She sighed, relaxing into his care. Her shorts and panties disappeared next. Daniel ran his hands down the length of her legs, the warmth giving Vala goosebumps.

She helped him with his pants and boxers, leaving them both naked and pressed up against each other. They continued to kiss passionately, greedily memorizing every inch of skin they touched. They untangled themselves from the blankets and Vala rolled on top of him. Without a second thought, she eased herself onto Daniel, both groaning with the pleasure they had been denied for so long.

His hands grabbed her breasts when she started to rock back and forth slowly. He sucked in a breath, wondering why he hadn't done this sooner. Had it really been so long since he'd been with a woman? He concentrated on what Vala was doing to him. There was no regret here like he feared. He could see himself enjoying her touch for the rest of his life. No amount of co-worker bullshit would stop him now.

Daniel grabbed her hips and flipped them over. She squealed in surprise. Looking up into his face, Vala could see the need in his eyes. He kissed her chastely, then pushed into her deep. She sucked in her own breath at the pleasurable surprise. He did it again, and again, causing her to moan. Vala lost herself in the sensation.

He stilled for a moment to catch his breath. Vala spread his knees and bucked into him. She took control from her position and began to return the favor. He groaned, holding on to her breasts as he let Vala lead him into oblivion. "God."

She let out a healthy moan as she joined him. The only sound that followed was that of hard, ragged breaths and contented sighs. Daniel released himself from her hold and collapsed next to her. She smiled as she turned her head, body unable to move. He stroked her flat stomach as they slowed their breaths.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm."

"Stay with me."

"Always."

000

Jacek was awake, but still confined to bed. He sat up talking with General Gordon, Vala, Daniel, and Mitchell.

"So this slave network is quite extensive, am I getting this right?" the General said. He was a tall man, hair so white he could have been a ghost. His structured features spoke of a chiseled soldier; his eyes gave away the years of combat and horrors past. Though he hadn't been privy to the secrets of the world beyond Earth for long, he understood that bad things happened everywhere, including among the stars.

"Extremely," Jacek replied. "They've acquired thousands and thousands of slaves in the span of a few years."

"Sir, this could potentially become a monster if we don't nip it in the bud right now."

"You may be right, Colonel. Take a team and pay a visit to that space station. See what you can learn." Mitchell nodded and left to go make his plans. Turning back to Jacek, "We need to discuss your plans for when you recover."

Daniel and Vala shared a look.

"Plans?"

"Yes, where do you intend to go or be once the doctor discharges you from the infirmary?"

Jacek looked down. "I understand that I overstayed my welcome the last time. I'll find my way."

"Jacek," Vala started.

_"General Gordon, please report to the control room. General Gordon."_

"We'll finish this discussion later. Excuse me." Thus, the unfamiliar general left them alone.

Daniel and Vala moved in closer. "Where will you go?" Vala asked.

"Don't know." He put on a brave face and a smile. "Don't you worry about me, kiddo. I'll be out of your hair soon as I can break out of here."

Vala placed a hand on his. "I never said I wanted you to leave."

"Me gaining asylum on Earth won't happen again."

Daniel scratched his freshly-shaved chin. "There might be someplace you can go. It's a little ways off, but the people there are decent." He gave Jacek a pointed look. "As long as you don't try to scam them."

Jacek held up his hands in surrender. "I make no guarantees, my friend. But after all this, I actually think I'll try." Daniel shook his head.

000

At first, everyone was worried that Jacek would threaten Earth's relations with the people of Taldia, but the fears turned out to be unnecessary. Even Daniel was surprised, and he was the one who suggested all this. The arrangements they made for Jacek seemed to serve both him and the village well.

He entertained the children with G-rated versions of his travels, and they showered him with attention. That kept him from getting too bored and wandering off. He showed the adults how to make their technology more efficient, and they provided him with food and shelter. That kept him from hunting for more raw deals to fund his survival. It was an easy enough life.

Daniel chose not to return to Taldia on a long-term basis, much to the disappointment of his young assistant. He tempered the boy's disappointment with a promise to visit regularly and employ him as an assistant again. He even offered him a new yo-yo as a bribe. Vala grinned at that.

Mitchell had returned soon after with new intel on the Gelvian slave traders. Their network was impressive, a large obstacle that needed taking down. More investigation would be required to see just how interconnected the traders were to other big operations happening around the galaxy. He welcomed the excitement and invited Daniel and Vala to rejoin him on SG-1.

For now, though, the galaxy could wait. The duo assured Mitchell that they would help. They just needed a vacation first. "Another one?" Cameron complained, looking pointedly at Daniel. He merely smirked in response, leaving with an arm around Vala's waist. They would be back in time for the next adventure.

A/N: That's all for Daniel and Vala for now. Cross your fingers for another adventure someday! Thanks for reading this far. I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to let me know what you think by dropping a review.


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